En Rapture
by shellebit
Summary: Sometimes secrets are meant to stay secrets, and sometimes walls must be broken down. For the sake of innocent others it may be the latter, but sometimes mysteries are not easily or painlessly revealed.


Disclaimer: As much as I'd love to, I don't own anything that you recognize!  
  
Hayley Granger was one unhappy camper. She had just been moved from her home in America to live with her only responding relatives a bazillion miles away, across the ocean in Britain. She was now on a train headed to boarding school. Yes, that's right, boarding school. Not just any boarding school, mind you, one of the most prestigious schools of witchcraft and wizardry in the world, Hogwarts. To Hayley though it didn't matter whether the school was a castle or a shack, she was still very upset at being uprooted, flown halfway across the world, and stuck on a train on an in between platform to go to some school she didn't want anything to do with. She liked living in America it was her home, it had Taco Bell, and that was all she really wanted. If they had Taco Bell at Hogwarts she'd love it, but instinct told her they most likely would not. As she continued to pout she didn't notice the train come to a halt. She looked up as a brown haired boy ran in and shut the door quickly looking very nervous. "D-do you mind if I- I sit in here for awhile?", the boy asked. Hayley looked thoughtfully for a moment before answering," Actually, I was hoping you would just knock, hand me a free bag of popcorn and dance around in your knickers singing 'Silent Night' while rubbing your tummy." At the terrified look on his face she sighed," I'm kidding, joking..no, I don't mind, you can stay." The boy looked at her gratefully although there was still a little fear in his eyes. Hayley didn't know what was going on but it suddenly had gotten very cold and she shivered unconsciously. Suddenly another boy ran in screaming and sat down next to her shaking furiously. Hayley got scared and she didn't know what to do, she never had to deal with something like this before. The door creaked as a very dry looking bony gray hand slid the door open. Who or what opened the door she didn't know, it was a hooded figure, and whatever it was began causing more shaking from the blonde boy next to her. Without thinking, Hayley took him in her arms and just held him close, closed her eyes and very softly sang one of her favorite songs to calm him and herself down as the creature began to move its head. The figure took one last look and disappeared. The first boy who had come in looked relieved and took a breath that he had been holding for quite some time. "D- dementors those were. Father says they're comin' to school this year because of Sirius Black's escape. Awful creatures they are. They almost suck all the goodness out o you. Well, I best change, looks like you did, 's smart of you. Thanks again!" And he left closing the door behind him.  
Hayley still had the second boy in her arms, still shivering, though not as bad as before. "Are you going to be okay?" she asked, concerned. The boy suddenly seemed to realize where he was and he jumped up quickly and brushed off his robes. "Of course, I'll be fine, I-I think I ought to go now." And he ran out without any other explanation. Hayley shook her head knowingly and dug through her bag for a book. Hopefully we'll get to this place soon, I'm so sick of this train and all of it's "inhabitants" especially the "non-human" ones. A few minutes into her book and Hayley felt the train stop yet again. As she began to gather her stuff, she heard a gruff voice yelling for all the first years. She proceeded to get off the train and stared around. Hayley was lost, she didn't know whether to go with the first years or with the older students. Obviously, someone else sensed her confusion. "Excuse me, um, hi, I'm Cedric Diggory, and you look very confused." Standing before her was one of the most handsome guys she had ever seen. _Damn! Guys in America were cute, but this guy was cute AND he had an accent. Yes, ma'am Hayley dearest I believe you are going to like it here after all._ "Hi, I'm Hayley, Hayley Granger and yes, I am a bit confused." He looked at her sympathetically and offered to let her ride in his carriage. "New students who aren't first years are always sorted after the Welcome Feast. You can sit with me if you want to. You cant possibly know many people if you were standing on the platform back there as confused as you were." Hayley looked at him gratefully, "Thank you so much, Cedric. No, I don't know anyone other than you and I am still extremely out of place." They sat in silence for the rest of the ride. When they walked up the steps to the Great Hall, a woman identifying herself as "Professor McGonagall", took Hayley to the Headmaster's office before Hayley could follow Cedric into the Great Hall. Hayley looked around the room, which was very ornate and elaborate as well as interesting, full of books and other things that sparked Hayley's interest. She was just about to touch something that looked like a remembrall when a tall man with a long white beard walked in smiling at her. "Miss Granger I presume? I am Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. I have been informed of your situation and it is customary for you to be sorted after the feast if I am correct however with your situation I felt it would be better for you to be sorted out of the public so that you can slip quietly to your house table instead of being switched halfway through the feast." Before Hayley could utter a word he turned around and grabbed a very old looking leather hat. He placed the hat on her head and it began to sing, explaining to her that it was practicing for tonight. Dumbledore only looked on with a gleam in his eye. The sorting hat delved into her head trying to decide where would be best to put her, she had qualities that could be used anywhere, that's for sure, but it had to pick just the right house. "Hmm better be...,"


End file.
